The councillor responsible for plans to plunge miles of the city’s main roads into darkness insists she has no fears over safety.

Coun Rachel Lancaster, Coventry City Council’s cabinet member for public services, was speaking after an inquest last week ruled a council decision to switch off street lights in neighbouring Warwickshire contributed to the death of 18-year-old student Archie Wellbelove in Leamington.

Coventry council plans to turn off the lights on a four-mile stretch of the A444 to save money – and other routes are likely to follow. A six-month trial to switch off 130 street lights between Binley Road, near Gosford Green, and the Ricoh Arena roundabout will begin on December 1.

Coun Lancaster said: “There are no safety concerns around the lights we have chosen.

“Unlike Warwickshire, the streets we have identified do not have footpaths or any places for a car to park. They are all main roads or dual carriageways.

“We are also not switching lights off across the whole length of them and junctions and roundabouts will still be lit.

“I am absolutely certain the roads I have picked out are nowhere near the same type of road as where this young lad was unfortunately killed.

“It is tragic this young man with so much potential lost his life.”

Other roads due to follow the A444 into darkness are Pickford Way, the section of the A45 between the Windmill Hill roundabout and the city boundary at the junction with Oak Lane as well as Kenilworth Road, past the A45 junction and out to the city boundary heading towards Kenilworth.

Coun Rachel Lancaster

Coun Lancaster said: “Kenilworth Road does bear some similarity, but we have already said we will continue to light up the footpaths and the bridle way.”

Coventry City Council believes the measure could save the taxpayer up to £20,000 annually but Coun Lancaster suggested, while there is no increased risk at present, pressure to make further cuts could force the council to compromise on safety.

She said: “It is becoming increasingly difficult to find money in the face of the cuts government are imposing.

“Moving forward I think we will be going back to the drawing board with what we have to provide by law. I didn’t get into politics to make cuts and it gives me sleepless nights. It’s my job to make sure the decisions we make are as safe as possible.”